Master of Nine Stars

”Hmm, I can actually make it look even more like one.” Nan Cheng casually waved her left hand.

Elite-tier: Radiance of the Star Cluster.

A vast expanse of brilliant stars scattered all around. Even the scorching sun couldn’t dim their dazzling brilliance.

Nan Cheng caught a miniature star and cupped it between her hands.

The light of the elite-tier Radiance of the Star Cluster shone more brightly, and the miniature star itself was more luminous, more closely resembling the moon.

Nan Cheng said with a smile, ”Looks more like it now, doesn’t it?”

”Uh-huh.” Rong Taotao nodded. He reached out a finger, looking like he wanted to touch it but didn’t quite dare. In a small voice, he asked, ”Can I, um... touch it?”

”Of course. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” Nan Cheng gave a magnanimous nod.

Rong Taotao pursed his lips and reached out, gently touching the fractured ”Moon Fragment.”

”Discovered Starfield: Nine Stars: First Piece: Quenching Star. Absorb?”

GULP. Rong Taotao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. ’Absorb?’

’Of course I’m not going to absorb it!’

’If Nan Cheng were a villain or some kind of Soul Beast, he’d snatch it without a second thought. But she’s a bona fide soldier, and a Soul General at that...’

”What effects does it have?” Rong Taotao asked curiously, feeling the pitted surface of the fragment. ”Besides increasing training speed?”

”What about yours?” Nan Cheng asked. ”What effects do your Lotus Petals have?”

Rong Taotao said, ”One petal is offensive; it can summon a storm of petals to attack enemies. The other is a prison that can trap people. That prison also comes with its own punishments and can be used to attack whoever is trapped inside.”

”I see.” Nan Cheng nodded. ”One is offensive, one is for imprison—huh?”

Nan Cheng looked at Rong Taotao in surprise. ”You have two Lotus Petals?”

Rong Taotao blinked. ”Yeah.”

Nan Cheng turned to look at Rong Yuanshan. ”Two petals?”

Rong Yuanshan pursed his lips and whispered, ”I only said he had a Lotus. I didn’t say how many petals...”

Nan Cheng turned back to Rong Taotao, her expression one of utter disbelief.

’So much for a kind and amiable Soul General. Right now, if you told him this Soul General wasn’t very bright, Rong Taotao would believe you...’

’After all, the way this renowned Great Soul General was acting right now really made her seem like she wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.’

Nan Cheng looked at the Little Soul Warrior before her and asked, ”Yuanshan said you snatched your Lotus Petals from Snow Realm Soul Beasts.”

Rong Taotao: ”Yup.”

Nan Cheng continued, ”One time was during the once-in-sixteen-year Extreme Night blizzard, when the Snow Realm Army invaded Songjiang Soul Martial University. What about the other time?”

Rong Taotao shrugged. ”The other time, I went to train north of the Wall. The Extreme Night blizzard hadn’t passed yet, and I got cornered in a cave by the Frost Beauty.”

Nan Cheng’s expression was priceless. ”You...”

Rong Taotao put on a reminiscent expression. ”It definitely had that ’see me after school’ vibe. I was never bullied by thugs in school, but I sure got the experience from the Snow Realm Soul Beasts... Gotta say, though, she was seriously gorgeous.”

As he spoke, Rong Taotao turned to glance at Ye Nanxi and smirked. ”You, little Tulip, don’t even come close. The Frost Beauty is the top model of our Snow Realm. Drop-dead gorgeous!”

Ye Nanxi: ???

At that moment, Nan Cheng finally understood why, a week ago, Rong Yuanshan had hoped for Rong Taotao to fail and wanted him to remain humble.

’This kid... he looks so harmless, but it turns out he’s a reckless daredevil with no regard for his own life?’

’And he could talk about being cornered in a cave by the Frost Beauty so casually...’

....

Third update, 12.17.20